Project Description

I am a PhD researcher working on the HBSC England study.  My professional background spans 20 years working in healthcare leadership and public health.  I began my career as an NHS Manager working in Medical Education and Public Health, before undertaking Public Health Specialty Training in the East of England from 2012- 2018.  Upon qualifying as a Consultant in Public Health in 2018, I have worked in Local Authority and the NHS undertaking Public Health roles such as undertaking joint strategic needs assessments, developing and implementing local public health strategies, evaluation of local initiatives and commissioning of public health services.

I have an MSc in Health Promotion and Psychology (University of Nottingham), MSc in Healthcare Leadership and Management (University of Birmingham) and an MPhil in Public Health (University of Cambridge).  Whilst undertaking my MPhil in Public Health, I completed a dissertation looking at the cost effectiveness of a one-off flexible sigmoidoscopy screen using a life table model, and it was during this project that my interest and enthusiasm for research was sewn, in particular in how research can be translated into practice and how the health, social care and education sectors can utilise research to identify and then prioritise changes to practice.

Within HBSC England, my research interests focus on how physical activity and healthy lifestyles influence children and young people’s mental wellbeing including if and when a focus on healthy lifestyles could begin to have a negative impact.

Through the HBSC PhD work I aim to generate research that is both rigorous and meaningful, producing insights that can directly inform practice, policy, and support for our children and young people.